An implantable medical device can include a component holder, such as a circuit board retainer or a support structure, to retain one or more components (for example, electronic components mounted on a circuit board or other substrate, a capacitor, a battery, a feedthrough, or one or more combinations thereof). The component holder can undesirably permit gaps between the components and the retainer. A patient can create an external load on the one or more components causing them to undesirably move. The implantable medical device can be subjected to the external load during transportation or handling. The external load on the implantable medical device can cause the components to move and further cause stress in connections between the components. For example, movement of the circuit board can induce stress in electrical connections between the board and a feedthrough, the board and a battery, etc.
A support structure of molded thermoplastic foam surrounding the components of the implantable medical device within a case to provide the components with shock and vibration resistance is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,899 entitled IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE HAVING COMPLIANT SUPPORT FOR INTERNAL COMPONENTS.
Placement of adhesive compressible foam around and between the internal components of the stimulation device to stabilize the device against shock and vibration is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,313 entitled IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE WITH A REDUCED VOLUMETRIC CONFIGURATION AND IMPROVED SHOCK STABILIZATION.